Percussion-shellfuse



I, C. H. JOCKMUS. XPERCUSSION SHELL FUSE. ,"APPLICATIOH' "FILED JULY 1611917.

,479. Patentm l July 8, 1919.

III) rron/m THE COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH '20-. WASHINGTON, D. C.

CHARLES H. U'OCKMUS, OF ANSONIA, CONNECTICUT.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 8, 1919.

Application filed July 16, 191i. Serial No. 180,704.

fuses, and has for its objects the prevention of accidental explosion of the shell while fitting the fuse andwhile handling, the prevention of premature explosion in the gun or near the muzzle of the gun when the firm g charge 1n the gun is exploded, and the provision of mechanism which will arm the fuse by inertia of the firing plunger, when the ally retain the firing plunger away from the primer, andwhen the projectile strikes an objective will positively function detonate the primer.

These results I accomplish in the manner which 'I will now describe,,referring to the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification and using reference characters to indicate the several parts. I

Figure 1 is an end view of my novel fuse and as seen from the left in Fig. 2;

Fig. 2 a section onthe line 2 2 inFignl looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 3 an end view as seen from the right in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 a sectional view corresponding with Fig. 2, showing the position of the parts after the fuse has been armed by explosion of the firing charge; a

Fig. 5 a similar view showingthe position of the parts when the fuse has func tioned upon impact of the shell;

Fig; 6 a section on the line 66 in Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 7 a section on the line 7-7 in Fig. 4, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 8 aperspective view of the firing plunger and safety'device, the parts being unattached to each other;

Fig. 9 a similar view showing a slightly ,modified form in which the safety device is "the usual chamber 21 which is closed by a cap 22, shown as'resting against a shoulder in the body and retained in place by spinning the open end of the body over it. At the inner end of the chamber is an inwardly extending projection 23, which is preferably made in the form of a frustum of a cone. The cap is provided with. the usual pocket to receive a primer 24, and surrounding the pocket is a concentric groove 25, leaving a circular rib 40 between the groove and the pocket. 26 denotes the firing plunger which is provided at its forward end with a depression 36 at the center of which is a point 27, in its base with a conical recess 28, the edge of which preferably terminates in a flange 29, and in its sides with'oppositely lying longitudinal grooves 30. .The firing plunger is normally prevented from arming and is retained with the point at a safe distance from the primer by means of a safety device, indicated as a whole by 31. This safety device is made from resilient sheet metal and comprises a'ring 32 spring arms.

33' extending therefromfand lying in the grooves, and curved heads 3& at the other ends of the arms which normally lie between the plunger and the circular rib and dog the plunger. These heads are provided the grooves and springing toward each other and the heads lying in the depression on opposlte sides of the point, see'Fig. 6 in connection with Fig. 2. If preferred, and in order to prevent lost motion between the firing plunger and the safety device, the ring may be locked in place by spinning or indenting the edge ofthe' flange over the ring as shown at 35in Fig. 9. It will be obvious, however, that the safety device will be self retaining upon the firing plunger without spinning or indenting the flange upon the ring. The firing plunger and safety device are then placed in the cham her and the cap is secured in place. It will be noted, see'Fig. 2, that projection 23 at the inner end of the chamber is in alinementwith the opening in the ring, that the arms be handled with safety and fitted with fuses, accidental explosion being practically im' possible, and when subjected to the drop test the safety device is found to effectually prevent the fuse from arming. This protection against explosion when the shell s dropped is rendered doubly sure owing to.

the fact that the engaging projections 'on heads 34 overhang the edge .of the depression 36 in the forward end of the firing plunger, the effect of the incline of thedepression being not only to lock the heads against mov-. ing apart (which would arm the fuse) but to actually crowd the heads inward toward the point. When the shellis impelled forward, however by the shock of the explosion of a firingcharge in a gun,v the inertia of the firing plunger will cause projection 23 at the inner end of thechamber to pass into the ring and cup the ring, the effect of which is to throw the spring arms and the heads outward against the wall of the chamber, so that while the fuse is. effectively armed, see Fig. 4: in connection withFig. 7, any creeping forward or rebounding of the firing plunger is prevented by the frictional engagement ofthe heads with the wall of the chamber. This makes premature ex.- plosion in the gun or near. the muzzle of the gun practically impossible. When, however, the shell strikes an objective the.im pact instantly overcomes the frictional resistance of the spring arms, and the firing plunger is thrown forwardfviolently, the heads of the spring arms passing into-groove 25 in the cap and the pointfdetonating the primer, as indicated in Fig. 5.

Having thus describ d my claim v 1. A fuse of the character described, comprising a body having a chamber with a projection at its inner end, a cap closing invention, I

- the chamber and having la primer pocket, a

circular groove and a rib between the groove and the pocket, a firing plunger having a recess in its base, grooves in its sides and a point, and a resilient safety device consisting of a ring lying in the recess and arms lying in the grooves and having heads lying between the plunger and the'rib, the shock of explosion of a firing charge causing the projection to arm the fuse by cupping the ring, the heads being thrown into engagement with the wall of the chamber to prevent creeping or rebounding of the plunger and impact with an objective causing the plunger to overcome the frictional resistance of the safety device, the heads passing into the circular groove and the point detonating a primer. I 3

. 2. A fuse of the character described, comprising a chamber having a projection at its inner end, a cap closing the chamber and having a primer pocket, a firing plunger having a recess in its base and grooves in its sides, and a safety device comprising a ring seated in the base of the plunger, and having spr ng arms 1y1ng in the grooves,

and heads, which normally prevent arming,

the inertia of the firing plunger, when the firing charge in a gun is exploded, causing the projection to cup the ring and throw the heads into engagement with the wall of the chamber to prevent creeping or reboun ding of the plunger. j

I 3. A fuse of the character described, comprising a body having a projection, a cap closing the body and adapted to receive a primer, a firing plunger having a recess cooperating with; the projection, and a safety device on the plunger comprising a ring and spring arms having heads wlnchnormally prevent arming, and afterexplosion of a firingchargeand cupping of the ring by the pro ection prevent creepmg or rebounding of the plunger.

4. A fuse. of the character described, coniQ prising a body having a pro ection, a firing plunger having a recess cooperating with the projection, and a safety. device on the plunger comprising a ring and spring arms having heads which normally prevent arming, and after explosion of" a firing charge and cupping of the ring by the pro ection prevent creeping or rebounding of the pluno'er 5. A fuse of the character described, comprising a chambered body having a projection, a primer carrying cap which closes the cl a1nber,.afiring plunger having a recess cooperating with the projection, and a safety devlce on the plunger comprising a ring and spring arms having heads which, normally prevent arming, explosion of a firing charge causing the projection to cup the ring and. throw .the heads against the wall of the chamber to prevent creeping or rebounding ofthe plunger, and lmpact causing det onation of a primer.

6. A fuse of the character described, comprising a chambered body having a projection, a cap closing the chamber andhaving a primer pocket, a concentric groove, and a circular, rlb between the groove and the tion and recess engagethewallof the chaml ber, for the purpose set'forth, the heads uponimpact entering the groove and permitting detonation of a primer.

7. A fusev ofthe character described, comprising a chambered body having a projection, a cap closing the chamber and having a primer pocket, a concentric groove and a circular rib j between the groove and the pocket, a firing plunger having a recess c0- operating with the projection, and longitudinal grooves, and a safety device on the plunger comprlsing a ring and sprmg arms lying in the grooves and having heads which normally lie between the plunger and the 'ment with the rib, explosion of a firing charge acting to cup the ring and throw the head against the wall of the chamber to prevent creeping'or rebounding of the plunger, and impact causing the heads to enter the groove and the point to detonate a primer in the pocket.

9. A fuse of the character described, comprising a chambered body having a projection, a firing plunger having a recess cooperating with the projection, the edge of said recess terminating in a flange, and a safety device on the plunger comprising a ring and spring arms having heads which normally prevent arming and after cupping of the ring prevent creeping or rebounding of the plunger, said safety device being locked to the plunger by spinning or indenting the flange over the ring.

10. A fuse of the character described, comprising a chambered body having a projection, a cap having a primer pocket, a

circular rib and a circular groove, a firing plunger having a recess cooperating w1th the pro ection, and a safety device on the plunger comprising a ring and spring arms havin heads which normall revent arming by engagement with the circular rib, and after cupping of the ring prevent creeping or rebounding of the plunger by engage- 'ment with the wall of the chamber.

I 11. A fuse of the character described, comprising a chambered body having a projection, a firing plunger having a recess cooperating with the projection, and a safety device secured to the plunger and comprising a ring and spring arms having heads which normally revent arming and after cupping of the rlng by the pro ection prevent creeping or rebounding of the plunger by engagement with the wall of the chamber.

12. A fuse of the character described, comprising a chambered body having at its inner end a frustum shaped projection, a

firing plunger having a cone-shaped recess adapted to coiiperate with the projection, and a safety device on the plunger compris- 111g a ring and spring arms having heads which normally prevent arming and after cupping of the ring by the projection pre vent creeping or rebounding of the plunger.

13. A fuse of the character described, comprising a chambered body having a frustum shaped projection, a cap having a primer pocket, a circular rib and a circular groove, a firing plunger having a coneshaped recess adapted to cooperate with the projection, and a safety device on the plunger comprising a ring' and spring arms having heads which normally prevent arming by engagement with the circular rib, and by cupping of the ring are adapted to enter the groove but prevent creeping or rebounding of the plunger until impact by frictional engagement with the wall of the chamber. v

14. A fuse of the character described, comprising a body having a projection, a firing plunger having a recess in its base cooperating with the projection,'and in its forward end a depression and a central point, and a safety device comprising a ring lying in the recess and spring arms having heads with engaging projections which overhang the edge of the depression, for the purpose set forth.

15. A fuse of the character described, comprising a chambered body having at its inner end a frustum shaped projection, a firing plunger having a cone-shaped recess adapted to cooperate with' the projection, grooves in its sides and at its forward end a depression and a central point, and a safety device comprising a ring lying in the recess and spring arms lying in the grooves and having heads with projections adapted to engage the inner edge of the recess, whereby the heads are locked against outward movement and arming is prevented.

16. In a fuse, the combination of a chambered body having a projection, a firing plunger having a recess cooperating with the projection, and a safety device on the plunger adaptedto be armed by cooperation of said projection and recess.

17. In a fuse, the combination of a chambered body having a projection, a firing plunger having a recess cooperating with the projection, and a safety device on the plunger comprising a ring and spring arms having heads which normally prevent arming, and after arming by coiiperationpf the projection and recess prevent creeping or rebounding of the plunger.

In testimony whereof I afliX my signature.

CHARLES H. J OCKMUS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. O. 

